Govt ramps up Deepotsava to turn festival into major tourist attraction

Senior officials said that ‘Ram Ki Paidi’ will serve as the central stage for drone, laser and holographic presentations, designed to narrate episodes from the Ramayana. The holographic visuals and musical projections are being choreographed to complement the drone formations, creating a layered storytelling experience for visitors, they said.

The festivities will also feature moving tableaux and processions. About 30 artist troupes from across India have been invited to perform Ramleela scenes, dances and cultural tableaux intended to recreate key episodes, from Sita and Ram’s coronation to Hanuman’s devotion, as illuminated floats parade through the city in the evening to “complement the lighting of diyas and the grand aarti on the Saryu ghats,” an official said.

Organisers say the tableaux will blend classical stagecraft with modern presentation techniques: traditional performers will appear alongside digital projections and synchronized sound. About 7,000 youth volunteers have been enrolled to help with logistics, crowd management and the diya-lighting drive, while organisers expect lakhs of visitors over the event period.

As per the statement, authorities have also invited around 1,100 saints, seers and community leaders to witness the celebrations. Deepotsava, first launched in 2017, has since grown each year; this year’s additions are part of a broader effort to establish an annual “Deepotsava circuit” that attracts pilgrims and cultural tourists alike.

Principal Secretary (Tourism) Mukesh Meshram said the government wants Deepotsava to be seen as a reflection of heritage rather than merely a festival.